Sell carpark call to city

THE Little Ryrie St carpark should be sold by council to offset the cost of free or cheaper CBD parking, Geelong property developer Bill Votsaris says.

Mr Votsaris, pivotal in the revival of Little Malop St, says a privately-operated fourstorey carpark should be built on the site between Gheringhap and Moorabool streets.

“(Council) should say the Little Ryrie St carpark is on the market and whoever buys it must build 500 carparks within two years otherwise there’s a huge penalty in the transaction,” Mr Votsaris said.

He said the majority of the 500-space lot would be sold to businesses and attached to CBD titles while 200 spaces are operated by a private carparking company.

“The viability of a private carpark is there regardless of the cost of (short-term) parking whether it’s zero or what it is currently,” Mr Votsaris said.

“It provides parking for businesses, operators and consumers. That would be the biggest activator for central Geelong.

“I’ve gone to (council) with multiple proposals (for the site). We have the private funds to do it but let it go to the open market — someone might have a better idea.”

Mr Votsaris said businesses in central Geelong needed a level playing field with those inside the city’s major CBD shopping centres.

“The ultimate objective is to provide the businesses in central Geelong with the equal opportunity to conduct their business as everywhere else in Geelong that has timed parking.”

Mr Votsaris said the price of council’s short-term CBD parking should match cheaper prices at Market Square and Westfield, which start from $1 an hour.

Greater Geelong planning and development director Gareth Smith said council was not considering selling the Little Ryrie St carpark “at this time”.

He said CBD parking prices were reviewed as part of the city’s annual budget. Council nets about $10.03 million a year from parking in central Geelong, including $8.6 million from on-street parking.

This week Geelong councillors voted to run a trial of 30minute free parking in twohour CBD spaces from December 1.

Mr Votsaris said: “I hope this is the first move in the bigger picture; that it will translate into total equality. Whatever it is short-term parking has to be equal (in price).”